U.S. patent number 5,996,126 [Application Number 09/119,913] was granted by the patent office on 1999-12-07 for crown pad and head-protective helmet.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Cairns & Brother Inc.. Invention is credited to Michael J. Barthold, Louis Orotelli.
United States Patent |
5,996,126 |
Barthold , et al. |
December 7, 1999 |
Crown pad and head-protective helmet
Abstract
Crown pad of flexible material including a central body portion
and a plurality of radially disposed members for flexing inwardly
to conform to the crown of a person's head. The crown pad is for
being connected to the central portions of head straps residing
interiorly of a head-protective helmet. The flexible crown pad may
be compressible causing the crown pad to attenuate or absorb some
force or energy upon an object striking the helmet. A
head-protective helmet in combination with such crown pad.
Inventors: |
Barthold; Michael J.
(Flemington, NJ), Orotelli; Louis (Washington Twp, NJ) |
Assignee: |
Cairns & Brother Inc.
(Clifton, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
22387148 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/119,913 |
Filed: |
July 22, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/414; 2/410;
2/416; 2/420 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B
3/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A42B
3/14 (20060101); A42B 3/04 (20060101); A42B
003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/410,411,414,416,417,418,419,420 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Neas; Michael A.
Assistant Examiner: Welch; Gary L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Rhodes, Jr.; R. Gale
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A crown pad for being mounted to the interior of a
head-protective helmet including a plurality of interior head
straps including central head strap portions, comprising:
a body of flexible material including a central body portion and a
plurality of radially disposed members formed integrally with and
extending generally radially outwardly from said central body
portion and being spaced angularly from each other, said plurality
of radially disposed members including a plurality of outer
peripheral portions provided with a plurality of pairs of generally
diametrically opposed elongated openings for receiving said central
head strap portions to cause said central head strap portions to
extend over said central body portion and plurality of radially
disposed members, said elongated openings disposed generally
transversely with respect to said plurality of radially disposed
members.
2. The crown pad according to claim 1 wherein said body of flexible
material is a body of flexible and compressible material and
wherein upon force being applied to the helmet said body of
flexible and compressible material being forced into engagement
with and the crown of the head of a wearer of the helmet and said
body of flexible and compressible material attenuating or absorbing
at least a portion of the force and said plurality of radially
disposed members deforming generally inwardly towards each other
and generally conforming to the crown of the head of the wearer of
the helmet.
3. The crown pad according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of
generally radially disposed members are a plurality of generally
longitudinally extending generally radially disposed members
including inner portions and outer portions, wherein said inner
portions are generally trapezoidal portions and are formed
integrally with and decrease in width towards said central body
portion and wherein said outer portions are generally rectangular
portions and include outer peripheral portions in which pairs of
generally diametrically opposed openings are formed to provide said
opening means.
4. The crown pad according to claim 3 wherein said plurality of
generally longitudinally extending generally radially disposed
members comprise pairs of generally diametrically opposed generally
longitudinally extending members and wherein said pairs of
generally diametrically opposed openings are for receiving the
central head strap portions to cause the central head strap
portions to extend over said pairs of generally diametrically
opposed generally longitudinally extending members and said central
body portion.
5. The crown pad according to claim 1 wherein said crown pad is
generally circular and includes a top, a bottom, and a circular
edge, wherein said crown pad further comprises a layer of covering
material surrounding said body of flexible material and including a
top cover layer portion covering said top, said top cover layer
portion provided with a plurality of pairs of generally
diametrically opposed openings providing said opening means.
6. The crown pad according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of
generally radially disposed members are a plurality of generally
radially disposed sectors of a circle.
7. The crown pad according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of
generally radially disposed sectors of a circle comprise a
plurality of generally diametrically opposed pairs of sectors of a
circle and wherein said pairs of generally diametrically opposed
openings are for receiving said central head strap portions to
cause said central head strap portions to extend over said pairs of
generally diametrically opposed sectors of a circle and said
central body portion.
8. The crown pad according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of
pairs of generally diametrically opposed sectors of a circle are
equal in number to said plurality of interior head straps.
9. The crown pad according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of
generally radially disposed members are equal in number to said
plurality of interior head straps.
10. Crown pad, comprising:
a body of flexible material including a central body portion and a
plurality of generally radially disposed members formed integrally
with and extending radially outwardly from said central body
portion and being spaced angularly from each other, said plurality
of generally radially disposed members for flexing inwardly towards
each other to generally conform to the crown of a person's head,
said plurality of radially disposed members including a plurality
of outer peripheral portions provided with a plurality of pairs of
generally diametrically opposed pairs of elongated openings, said
elongated openings disposed generally transversely with respect to
said plurality of radially disposed members.
11. Apparatus for protecting a person's head, comprising:
head-protective helmet means having an interior and for being worn
on and for protecting the person's head, said head-protective
helmet means including a plurality of head straps residing in said
interior of said head-protective helmet means and for engaging a
portion of the person's head, said plurality of head straps
including generally central head strap portions and outer portions
mounted to said head-protective helmet means; and
a flexible crown pad residing in said interior of said
head-protective helmet means and for engaging and conforming the
crown of a person's head, said crown pad including a central body
portion and a plurality of generally radially disposed members
formed integrally with and extending generally radially outwardly
from said central body portion, and said crown pad including
opening means providing a plurality of pairs of generally
diametrically opposed openings through which said central head
strap portions extend to cause said central head strap portions to
extend over said central body portion and said plurality of
generally radially disposed members.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said body of
flexible material is a body of flexible and compressible material
and wherein upon force is applied to the helmet said body of
flexible and compressible material being forced into engagement
with and the crown of the head of a wearer of the helmet, said body
of flexible and compressible material attenuating or absorbing at
least a portion of the force and said plurality of radially
disposed members deforming generally inwardly towards each other
and generally conforming to the crown of the head of the wearer of
the helmet.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of
generally radially disposed members are a plurality of generally
longitudinally extending members including inner portions and outer
portions, wherein said inner portions are generally trapezoidal
portions and are formed integrally with and decreasing in width
towards said central body portion and wherein said outer portions
are generally rectangular portions and include outer peripheral
portions in which openings are formed to provide said opening
means.
14. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of
generally longitudinally extending members comprise pairs of
generally diametrically opposed generally longitudinally extending
members and wherein said central head strap portions extend over
said pairs of generally diametrically opposed generally
longitudinally extending members and said central body portion.
15. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said crown pad is
generally circular and includes a top, a bottom, and a circular
edge, wherein said crown pad further includes a layer of covering
material surrounding said crown pad and including a top cover layer
portion covering said top, said top cover layer portion provided
with said plurality of pairs of generally diametrically opposed
openings providing said opening means.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said plurality of
radially disposed members are a plurality of radially disposed
sectors of a circle.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the plurality of
generally radially disposed sectors of a circle comprise a
plurality of generally diametrically opposed pairs of sectors of a
circle and wherein said central head strap portions extend over
said pairs of generally diametrically opposed sectors of a circle
and said central body portion.
18. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of
generally radially disposed members are equal in number to said
plurality of interior head straps.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a crown pad particularly useful with a
head-protective helmet and also relates to a head-protective helmet
including such crown pad.
Numerous head-protective helmets are known to the prior art.
Certain head-protective helmets include a plurality of flexible
head straps, sometimes referred to in the art as a web or cradle of
head straps, mounted interiorly of the helmet for engaging the head
of a wearer of the helmet. Such head-protective helmets include a
fireman's head-protective helmet and the present invention will be
disclosed in the context of a fireman's head-protective helmet
although it will be understood that the present invention is not so
limited and is applicable to other head-protective helmets
including a plurality of interior head straps which engage the head
of the wearer of the helmet.
A fireman's head-protective helmet known to the art, typically
includes an outer shell and a cradle or web of flexible head straps
provided in the interior of the shell which engage and generally
conform to the head of a wearer of the helmet. A head-protective
helmet, e.g., a fireman's head-protective helmet is disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,016, Christopher E. Coombs inventor, patented
Sep. 3, 1991, and assigned to Cairns & Brother, Inc. of
Clifton, N.J.; this patent is incorporated herein by reference as
if fully reproduced herein. The head-protective helmet 10, FIG. 2,
includes a hard outer shell 12 and an inner impact cap or
attenuation liner assembly indicated generally as 14. A cradle 28
of a plurality of flexible web straps 30 resides interiorly of the
helmet particularly interiorly of the attenuation liner assembly
14. Each strap 30 is formed of a strong flexible webbing, such as
Nylon, stitched together at the central apex of the cradle 28, and
proceeds from the apex to the rim 42 of the foam liner 26 at a
notch formed in the rim 42. Each strap 30 wraps around the rim 42
and proceeds upwardly along the outer surface of the foam liner 26,
is wrapped around a tube member 44 inset in a groove 46 formed in
the outer surface of the liner 26 and then proceeds back around the
lower rim 42 of the foam liner 26 to approach the apex as a free
end with a loop 48. The loops 48 of the free ends of the straps 30
are collected, or interconnected, by draw string 50 knotted to
allow adjustment of the cradle 28 to suit the individual head of a
wearer of the helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,691, patented May 21, 1996, Bruce H. Blake
inventor, assigned to Lion Apparel, Inc., also discloses a
head-protective helmet; this patent is incorporated herein by
reference as if fully reproduced herein. This patent discloses a
head-protective helmet, namely, a fire helmet 10 including an outer
shell 20 and an impact attenuation system 30 including an impact
cap 32 and a suspension system 40 including a plurality of flexible
head straps 42-44 and an adjustable head band assembly 50. The
outer ends of the flexible head straps 42-44 are mounted to the
inner impact cap 32, as shown in FIG. 3, by a rib 46 residing in a
recess 48. The flexible head strap 42-44 includes central head
strap portions and as shown in FIG. 4, a circular crown pad 45 is
associated with the flexible head straps 42-44 and is positioned at
the central apex portion, or point of intersection, of the central
head strap portions of the head straps 42-44. The circular crown
pad 45 includes pairs of diametrically opposed slits through which
the central head strap portions of the head straps 42-44 pass. For
example, head strap 42 passes through a pair of diametrically
opposed slits 45a and 45b.
While the above-noted structures included in the patents
incorporated herein by reference have worked reasonably well in
interconnecting the inner portion of a cradle or plurality of head
straps residing in the interior of a head-protective helmet, it is
believed that there exists a need in the art for a new and improved
crown pad which is flexible so as to conform to the crown of the
head of a wearer of the helmet into which the crown pad is
incorporated. Still further, there appears to exist a need in the
art for a crown pad which also absorbs or attenuates at least some
of the energy or force directed to the head of a wearer of the
helmet into which the crown pad is incorporated upon an object
striking the helmet and forcing the helmet, and therefore the
cradle or web of head straps downwardly against the head of the
wearer of the helmet. There also appears to exist a need in the art
for a head-protective helmet including a crown pad having the
aforementioned features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to satisfy the foregoing
needs in the art.
A crown pad satisfying such needs and embodying the present
invention may include a body of flexible material including a
plurality of radially disposed members. The crown pad is for being
connected to the central portions of the plurality of head straps
mounted interiorly of the head-protective helmet and the radially
disposed members are for flexing inwardly toward the head of a
wearer of the helmet to conform generally to the crown of the
wearer's head. The flexible material may also be compressible
whereby the crown pad will absorb or attenuate at least some of the
force or energy which would otherwise be applied to the helmet
wearer's head upon, for example, an object falling and striking the
helmet.
A head-protective helmet satisfying the foregoing needs and
embodying the present invention may include a plurality of interior
head straps including inner or central portions, and a flexible
crown pad including a plurality of radially disposed members. The
crown pad is for being connected to the head straps central
portions and the flexible members are for flexing inwardly and for
conforming to the head of a wearer of the helmet. The crown pad may
also be made of compressible material whereby upon an object
striking the head-protective helmet at least a portion of the
energy is attenuated or absorbed by the crown pad and not
transferred to the helmet wearer's head.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a crown pad
embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the
central portions of a plurality of head straps mounted to the
interior of a head-protective helmet extend through openings formed
in the crown pad so as to extend over the central portion and
plurality of radially disposed members comprising the crown
pad;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the crown pad shown in FIGS. 1 and
2 with the plurality of radially disposed members shown flexed
inwardly to conform to the head of a wearer of the helmet into
which the crown pad may be incorporated and which FIG. 3 shows
partial views of the inner or central portions of head straps
extending through openings formed in the radially disposed members,
the crown pad as shown in FIG. 3 is reversed or upside down from
the crown pad as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of a crown pad
embodying the present invention with portions of the inner or
central portions of the interior head straps of a head-protective
helmet being partially shown;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along
the line 5--5 in FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows; and
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a body of flexible material residing
interiorly of the crown pad shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A first embodiment of a crown pad embodying the present invention
is shown in FIGS. 1-3 and is indicated by general numerical
designation 10. The crown pad 10, note particularly FIG. 1,
comprises a body of flexible material indicated by general
numerical designation 10a and includes a plurality of generally
radially disposed members 11, 12, 13 and 14 formed integrally with
and extending generally radially outwardly from a central portion
15 and being spaced angularly from each other as indicated by the
arrow A1 in FIG. 1. The central portion 15, FIG. 1, is generally
rectangular and is bounded by the rectangularly disposed dashed
lines a, b, c and d.
Each radially disposed member, as will be understood from
representative radially disposed member 11, shown in FIG. 1,
includes a radially outer portion indicated by bracket 16 and a
radially inner portion indicated by bracket 18. The radially outer
portion 16, as will be noted from FIG. 1, is generally rectangular,
and the radially inner portion indicated by the bracket 18 is
generally trapezoidal decreasing in width radially inwardly toward
the central portion 15. The radially inner portion is also
identified by reference numeral 20 and is bounded by the dashed
lines a and e and by the inclined solid lines f and g providing a
portion of the outer boundary of the radially disposed member 11.
The outer portion of representative radially disposed member 11 is
also identified by numerical designation 22 and is bounded by the
dashed line e and the solid lines h, i, and j forming a portion of
the outer boundary of the representative radially disposed member
11. Further, the outer portion 22 of the representative radially
disposed member 11 further includes an outer peripheral portion
indicated by the bracket 24 and by reference numeral 26 and is
bounded by a dashed line k, portions of the solid lines h and i and
the solid line j. The outer peripheral portion 26 is provided with
an opening 30 for receiving the central head strap portion of the
flexible head strap comprising a cradle or web of flexible head
straps mounted interiorly of a head-protective helmet, for example,
a head-protective helmet of the types disclosed in the patents
incorporated hereinabove by reference; the openings formed in the
outer peripheral portions of the radially disposed members 12, 13
and 14 are identified respectively by reference numerals 31, 32 and
33 and such openings also are for receiving the central head strap
portion of a flexible head strap.
In the preferred embodiment, the crown pad 10 is made of a suitable
and commercially available low/medium density cross-linked
polyethylene foam which is flexible, compressible and
resilient.
As shown in FIG. 2, the central head strap portions 41a and 42a of
a plurality of flexible head straps 41 and 42 comprising a cradle
or web of head straps, of the type described above in the patents
incorporated herein by reference, are laced, looped or extend
through the respective pairs of diametrically opposed openings 30
and 32 and 31 and 33 provided respectively in the radially disposed
members 11 and 13 and 12 and 14. It will be understood that the
outer ends of the flexible head straps 41 and 42 may be mounted
suitably, in the manner known to the art, to the outer hard shell
of a head-protective helmet, or may be mounted to the inner impact
cap of a head-protective helmet such as for example by use of the
tube member 44 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,016
incorporated by reference hereinabove or the ribs 46 shown in FIGS.
2 and 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,691 incorporated by reference
hereinabove. Alternatively, as illustrated in the lower righthand
portion of FIG. 2 with regard to the outer portion 42b of
representative flexible head strap 42, that the outer end of the
head strap 42 may be looped through an opening 44 formed in a
suitable mounting member, indicated diagrammatically by mounting
member 46, and looped back upon itself and looped again through the
opening 31 and folded or doubled back upon itself and stitched to
itself as indicated diagrammatically by stitch lines 48 and 49; the
diagrammatically indicated mounting member 46 may be used to mount
the outer ends of the flexible head straps to, for example, either
the outer hard shell of the head-protective helmet or the inner
impact cap of the head-protective helmet. Similarly, the other
outer ends of the flexible head straps may be mounted to suitable
mounting members in the same manner. Additionally, the apex
portions of the central head strap portions 41a and 42a may be
suitably stitched together as indicated diagrammatically by stitch
line 47. Referring still to FIG. 2, it will be noted that upon the
central head strap portions 41a and 42a being received and
extending through the respective pairs of diametrically opposed
openings 30 and 32 and 31 and 33 the central head strap portions
41a and 42a extend respectively over the pairs of diametrically
opposed radially disposed members 11 and 13 and 12 and 14 and over
the central body portion 15 (FIG. 1).
As will be further understood from FIG. 3, the body of material,
such as for example the above-noted low/medium density cross-linked
polyethylene foam, is sufficiently flexible to permit the plurality
of radially disposed members 11, 12, 13 and 14 to flex inwardly
towards each other so as to conform to the crown of the head of a
wearer of the head-protective helmet into which the crown pad is
incorporated. It will be further understood that such body of
material comprising the crown pad 10 is sufficiently compressible
such that it will attenuate or absorb at least some of the energy
or force produced upon an object striking or impacting a
head-protective helmet into which the crown pad is incorporated and
forcing the helmet, and thereby the head straps and crown pad,
downwardly into engagement with the crown of the head of the wearer
of the helmet. Still further, it will be understood that the body
of material comprising the crown pad 10 is sufficiently resilient
such that when the head-protective helmet is removed, the crown pad
will generally return to its original shape.
As indicated by the opposed arrows 51 and 52 on radially disposed
member 12 in FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment, the crown pad had
a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Further, as indicated on radially
disposed member 11 in FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment, the
radially disposed members had a length L1 of about 3 inches and a
width W of about 13/4 inches. Also, in the preferred embodiment,
the central portion 15 was a square of about 1 inch.
Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, a second embodiment of a crown pad
embodying the present invention is shown and indicated by general
numerical designation 60. The crown pad 60, as may be better
understood by reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, includes an inner body of
flexible material indicated by general numerical designation 62 and
an outer layer of covering material surrounding the body of
flexible material 62 and indicated in FIGS. 4 and 5 by general
numerical designation 64. As will be best understood by reference
to FIG. 6, the body of flexible material 62 is circular and
includes a generally circular central body portion 63, as indicated
by the dashed circle in FIG. 6, and a plurality of radially
disposed members 65-70 extending generally radially outwardly from
the central body portion 63 and being spaced angularly from each
other as indicated by the double headed arrow 82 in FIG. 6. In the
preferred embodiment, the body of flexible material 62 is generally
circular, as shown in FIG. 6, and as will be further understood
from FIG. 6 the plurality of radially disposed members 65-70 are
sectors of a circle and further, in the preferred embodiment, the
sectors, as indicated by representative sector 67, had a radial
length L2 of about 11/2 inches, had a radially outward arcuate
length L3, as indicated by representative sector 68, of about 21/8
inches and had a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Also, in the
preferred embodiment, the body of flexible material 62 is made of a
suitable and commercially available medium/high density
cross-linked polyethylene foam which is flexible, compressible and
resilient.
As shown in FIG. 5, the body of material 62 includes a circular top
T, a circular bottom B, and a circular outer peripheral edge E. As
will be further understood from FIG. 5, the outer layer of covering
material 64 includes a top circular layer 71 of covering material
covering the circular top T of the body of flexible material 62, a
bottom circular layer 72 of covering material covering the circular
bottom B of the body of flexible material 62 and, as further shown
in FIG. 5, the outer peripheral edges of the top and bottom layers
of covering materials 71 and 72 are covered and stitched together
by an outer peripheral layer of binding covering material 74. Thus,
it will be understood, that the top and bottom layers of covering
materials 71 and 72, and the outer peripheral binding covering
material 74, surround the body of flexible material 62. In the
preferred embodiment, the layers of covering material were a
suitably commercially available flannel.
Referring again to FIG. 4, a plurality of flexible head straps 81,
82 and 83, of the type noted above and shown in the patents
incorporated by reference hereinabove, are shown and such flexible
head straps include central head strap portions 81a, 82a, and 83a
which are sewn together at their apex as indicated diagrammatically
by stitch line 85. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, and in
particular FIG. 4, the top layer of covering material 71 is
provided with pairs of diametrically opposed openings 86 and 87 and
88 and 89; 91 and 92 and 93 and 94; and 96 and 97 and 98 and 99. As
will be further understood from FIG. 4, the central head strap
portions 81a, 82a, and 83a extend through the respective pairs of
diametrically opposed openings 86 and 87 and 88 and 89, 91 and 92
and 93 and 94 and 96 and 97 and 98 and 99 to cause the central head
strap portions 81a, 82a, 83a to extend over the respective
diametrically opposed sectors 65 and 68, 66 and 69 and 67 and 70 of
the body of flexible material 62, and across the central body
portion 63 (FIG. 6) of the body of flexible material 62.
The outer ends of the flexible head straps 81, 82 and 83 may be
connected to suitable mounting members to mount the outer ends of
such head straps, for example, to either the outer hard shell of a
head-protective helmet or the inner impact cap of a head-protective
helmet in the same manner described above with regard to the outer
end of the head strap 42 and mounting member 46 shown in FIG. 2;
such head-protective helmet is indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 4
by numerical designation 100 and which helmet, for example, may be
a head-protective helmet disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,016 or
the head-protective helmet disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,691
which patents are incorporated by reference hereinabove.
Accordingly, it will be understood that upon force being applied to
the head-protective helmet into which the crown pad 60 is
incorporated in the manner described above, the plurality of
radially disposed members 65-70, FIG. 6, will deform generally
inwardly towards each other, in the same manner as the plurality of
radially disposed members 11, 12, 13 and 14 shown in FIG. 3, and
will generally conform to the crown of the head of a wearer of the
head-protective helmet into which the crown pad 60 is
incorporated.
Further, in the preferred embodiment, the body of flexible material
62 is a body of flexible and compressible material whereby upon the
crown pad 60 being forced into engagement and conforming to the
crown of the head of a wearer of the helmet, the body of flexible
and compressible material 62 will absorb or attenuate at least a
portion of the force or energy that would be otherwise transferred
to the helmet wearer's head upon, for example, an object falling
and striking the head-protective helmet into which the crown pad 60
is incorporated and which helmet is being worn on the head of a
person.
Also, the body of flexible and compressible material 62 may also be
a body of flexible, compressible and resilient material whereby
upon the head-protective helmet into which the crown pad 60 is
incorporated is removed from the helmet wearer's head, the crown
pad 60 will generally return to its original shape.
It will be understood that many variations and modifications may be
made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and
the scope thereof.
* * * * *